Hand-car.



I No. $457,030.v

PATENTEDI'MAR. 12.1907.

J. H. TAYLOR.

HAND GAR. APPLICATION FILED mm, 28, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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JOHN H. TAYLOR, OF NORMANDY, TENNESSEE.

HAND-CAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 12, 1907.

Application filed December 28, 1906. erial No. 349,909.

Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHand-Oars and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to hand-cars for railways; and it has forits object the provision of improvements in the propelling mechanismoperable from the platform of the car when the latter is employed forquick transportation, whereby said propelling mechanism maybedisconnected from the axles and wheels, so that the latter may be freeto run, as on a downgrade, or allow the car to be employed as a push-carin transporting material and tools about in the performance of sectionand other work.

The nature of the invention is fully ascertainable from the annexeddrawings, forming a part of this specification, in view of which it willfirst be described with respect to its construction and mode ofoperation and then be pointed out in the claims.

()f the said drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation. Fig. 2 isa plan of the car inverted, showing the propelling-gear in mesh with thedriven pinion on the axle. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, butrepresenting the propelling-gear as out of mesh with the axle-pinion.Fig. 4 is a sectional view in the plane of the axle and axis of thepropelling-gear.

Similar numerals of reference designate similar parts or features, asthe case may be, wherever they occur.

In the drawings, designates the platform, which on its under sidesupports the j ournal-boxes for the axles 1 1 of the wheels 12.

The front axle has a pinion 13 secured to it, with which meshes thedrive-gear 14. The latter is provided with a wrist-pin 15, with whichthe lower end of a pitman 16 is connected, said pitman extendin upthrough an opening in the platform and being pivotally connected at itsupper end with one end of a rock-bar 17, pivoted on a cross-bar 18,having bearings in the uprights 19, secured at their lower ends to theplatform of the car.

end of which is pivoted on an arm of the hand-operating lever 21, whichoperates on a cross-shaft 22, supported in the upper ends of the saiduprights.

By the means described a hand-car is provided that may be propelled on arailwaytrack by a person or persons standing on the platform andoperating the hand-lever. It is sometimes desired, however, as when thecar is running downgrade or when it is wanted to use the device as apush-car, that the driving means should be disconnected from the axle,so as to leave the latter as free from impediments as possible, and itis to this end that my invention is directed.

The drive-gear 14 has its axle 23 extended from one side only, and thesaid axle is journaled on a box or bearing 24, having a pivotbolt 25extending from its upper side through one of the longitudinal beams 26of the car, a bushing surrounding the pivot-bolt for the usual purpose.

A keeper 27 in the form of a plate, having its central portion offset tofit upon the bottom of the box, is secured at its ends to the beam 26 tohold the bearing in place. The latter is provided on its upper side withan extension 28, which at its outer end has a right-angulardownwardly-extended lug or ear in which the outer end of the axle turnsand is supported. The said box or bearing 24 has a pin or projection 29extending laterally therefrom, on which the lower end of a lever 30 isconnected. The said lever is fulcrumed on a stud or pin 31, supported onthe car-platform, and extends up to one side of the hand-lever inposition where it can be readily reached by a person on the platform tomove it, and so shirt the bearing 24 for the axle of the driving-gear,that the latter may be moved out of or into engagement with the pinion13, disconnecting or connecting the hand-car-operating means from orwith the axle and wheels.

By the means described, which are simple in construction and efficientand convenient in use, the car is convertible instantly from a hand topush car, and vice versa, and when running as a hand-car on a downgradethe operating means can be detached, so as to permit the car to coastwith freedom, if desired.

Of course the box for the axle of the driving-gear might well besupported vertically by its pivot-bolt, avoiding any necessity of thekeeper-plate. 27; but ordinarily a device IIO performing the functionsof the latter is desirable. v

What is claimed is 1. In a hand-car, the combination with 5 the drivenaxle and its pinion, ol the drivegear and its axle, apivotally-supported bearing for the axle of the drive-gear, and a leverpivotally connected with the said bearing to move it on its pivot anddisconnect or con- IO nect the driving-gear from the said pinion.

2. In a hand-car the combination with the driven axle and its pinion, ofthe drive-gear,

sazoso means for operating it, a pivoted bearing for the axle, means forsupporting the bearing, and a lever pivotally connected with saidbearing to move it on its pivot and disconnect or connect thedriving-gear from the said pinion.

In testimony whereof I a'ffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN, H. TAYLOR. Witnesses:

E. R. BRANDON, J. L. BRANDON.

